Material spreader with integrated wetting system

Abstract

A material spreader having a hopper for containing material and a liquid tank containing liquid adjacent the hopper. The liquid tank has a passage extending from the hopper through the tank with a discharge opening. An auger extends through the hopper and passage for conveying material to the outlet for delivery to a spinner for distributing the material. At least one nozzle is mounted in the passage for spraying liquid onto the material as it is being conveyed through the passage.

1. A material spreader comprising:
 a hopper for containing material, said hopper having an outlet for discharging material from said hopper; 
 a liquid tank mounted adjacent to the hopper, said tank including a passage extending through said tank, said passage having an entrance coaxially aligned with said outlet of said hopper and a discharge opening, said passage is separated from said liquid in said liquid tank, an enclosure to enclose said passage to separate said passage from said liquid tank, said enclosure extends through said liquid tank whereby said liquid is adapted to surround said enclosure; 
 an auger extending through said hopper and said passage for conveying material from said hopper and through said passage and out of said discharge opening; 
 at least one nozzle mounted within said passage and a pump operatively connected between said liquid tank and said nozzle; 
 said nozzle spraying liquid upon said material as said salt is conveyed through said passage; 
 a spinner mounted adjacent said discharge opening for spreading said material; 
 an electric drive motor, a transmission operatively connected to said drive motor and a material spreading disc coupled to said transmission, said transmission includes a helical bevel gear assembly requiring low amperage draw from said drive motor. 
 
     
     
       2. The material spreader of  claim 1 , wherein said hopper and said tank are joined together to form a unitary assembly. 
     
     
       3. The material spreader of  claim 1 , wherein said hopper and tank are integrally formed. 
     
     
       4. The material spreader of  claim 1 , wherein said pump has a pump inlet line operatively coupled to said liquid tank and a pump outlet line operatively coupled to said at least one nozzle. 
     
     
       5. The material spreader of  claim 1 , wherein said enclosure is a tube extending from said entrance to said discharge opening. 
     
     
       6. The material spreader of  claim 1 , wherein said pump has a pump inlet line operatively coupled to said liquid tank below said enclosure. 
     
     
       7. The material spreader of  claim 1 , further including an electric drive motor operatively coupled to a transmission which is operatively coupled to said auger, said transmission includes a helical bevel gear assembly requiring relatively low amperage draw from said drive motor. 
     
     
       8. The material spreader of  claim 7 , wherein said auger drive motor has a mating gear operatively coupled to said helical bevel gear, said helical bevel gear is mounted upon an input shaft, a worm gear mounted upon said input shaft spaced from said helical bevel gear, an output shaft operatively coupled to said auger, said output shaft includes a driver gear operatively coupled to said worm gear. 
     
     
       9. The material spreader of  claim 1 , further including a mounting frame for mounting said material spreader to a vehicle. 
     
     
       10. The material spreader of  claim 1 , wherein said material is salt. 
     
     
       11. The material spreader of  claim 1 , wherein said material is a mixture of salt and sand. 
     
     
       12. The material spreader of  claim 1 , wherein said material is sand. 
     
     
       13. The material spreader of  claim 1 , wherein said liquid is salt brine. 
     
     
       14. The material spreader of  claim 1 , wherein said liquid is water. 
     
     
       15. A material spreader comprising: a hopper for containing material, said hopper having an outlet for discharging material from said hopper;
 a liquid tank mounted adjacent to the hopper, said tank including a passage extending through said tank, said passage having an entrance coaxially aligned with said outlet of said hopper and a discharge opening; 
 an auger extending through said hopper and said passage for conveying material from said hopper and through said passage and out of said discharge opening; 
 a spinner mounted adjacent said discharge opening for spreading said material; 
 a manifold mounted longitudinally along said passage, and a plurality of nozzles mounted along the length of said manifold, a pump operatively connected between said liquid tank and said plurality of nozzles; 
 said plurality of nozzles spraying liquid upon said material as said material is conveyed through said passage. 
 
     
     
       16. The material spreader of  claim 15 , wherein said hopper and said tank are joined together to form a unitary assembly. 
     
     
       17. The material spreader of  claim 15 , wherein said hopper and tank are integrally formed. 
     
     
       18. The material spreader of  claim 16 , wherein said pump has a pump inlet line operatively coupled to said liquid tank and a pump outlet line operatively coupled to said at least one nozzle. 
     
     
       19. The material spreader of  claim 15 , wherein said passage is separated from said liquid in said liquid tank. 
     
     
       20. The material spreader of  claim 19 , further including an enclosure to enclose said passage to separate said passage from said liquid tank. 
     
     
       21. The material spreader of  claim 20 , wherein said enclosure is a tube extending from said entrance to said discharge opening. 
     
     
       22. The material spreader of  claim 19 , wherein said enclosure extends through said liquid tank whereby said liquid is adapted to surround said enclosure. 
     
     
       23. The material spreader of  claim 22 , wherein said pump has a pump inlet line operatively coupled to said liquid tank below said enclosure. 
     
     
       24. The material spreader of  claim 15 , wherein said spreader includes an electric drive motor, a transmission operatively connected to said drive motor and a salt spreading disc coupled to said transmission. 
     
     
       25. The material spreader of  claim 24 , wherein said transmission includes a helical bevel gear assembly requiring low amperage draw from said drive motor. 
     
     
       26. The material spreader of  claim 15 , further including an electric drive motor operatively coupled to a transmission which is operatively coupled to said auger, said transmission includes a helical bevel gear assembly requiring relatively low amperage draw from said drive motor. 
     
     
       27. The material spreader of  claim 15 , wherein said drive motor has a mating gear operatively coupled to said helical bevel gear, said helical bevel gear is mounted upon an input shaft, a worm gear mounted upon said input shaft spaced from said helical bevel gear, an output shaft operatively coupled to said auger, said output shaft includes a driver gear operatively coupled to said worm gear. 
     
     
       28. The material spreader of  claim 15 , further including a mounting frame for mounting said material spreader to a vehicle. 
     
     
       29. The material spreader of  claim 15 , wherein said material is salt. 
     
     
       30. The material spreader of  claim 15 , wherein said material is a mixture of salt and sand. 
     
     
       31. The material spreader of  claim 15 , wherein said material is sand. 
     
     
       32. The material spreader of  claim 15 , wherein said liquid is salt brine. 
     
     
       33. The material spreader of  claim 15 , wherein said liquid is water. 
     
     
       34. A material spreader comprising: a hopper for containing material, said hopper having an outlet for discharging material from said hopper;
 a liquid tank mounted adjacent to the hopper, said tank including a passage extending through said tank, said passage having an entrance coaxially aligned with said outlet of said hopper and a discharge opening; 
 an auger extending through said hopper and said passage for conveying material from said hopper and through said passage and out of said discharge opening; 
 a manifold mounted longitudinally along said passage, and a plurality of nozzles mounted along the length of said manifold; 
 a pump operatively connected between said liquid tank and said plurality of nozzles; said plurality of nozzles spraying liquid upon said material as said material is conveyed through said passage; 
 a spinner mounted adjacent said discharge opening for spreading said material; an electric drive motor, a transmission operatively connected to said drive motor and a salt spreading disc coupled to said transmission, said transmission includes a helical bevel gear assembly requiring low amperage draw from said drive motor.